National League of POW/MIA Families Status of the Issue

March 11, 2015

1,629 Americans are now listed by DoD as missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War: Vietnam – 1,269 (VN-467 VS-802); Laos–302; Cambodia-51; Peoples Republic of China territorial waters–7. (These numbers occasionally fluctuate due to investigations resulting in changed locations of loss.) The League seeks the fullest possible accounting for those still missing and repatriation of all recoverable remains. The League’s highest priority is accounting for Americans last known alive. Official intelligence indicates that Americans known to be in captivity in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia were not returned at the end of the war. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, it must be assumed that these Americans could still be alive, and the US Government should not rule out that possibility. Full Story

The Vigil Every Thursday evenings starting at 7:00 p.m. E.D.T. people gather in Hesky Park, located in Meredith, New Hampshire, on the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee. The Thursday evening Vigils started in August of 1989 in an effort to raise awareness about the abandonment of Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action. The first Vigil lasted 15 minutes; one minute to symbolize each year since the US State Department declared, "There are no more prisoners in Southeast Asia. They are all dead." The vigil now spans 32 minutes. The Meredith POW/MIA Vigil is believed to be the longest consecutively held vigil in the United States. There has never been a Thursday night Vigil unattended since its inception. Attendance ranges from 3-4 in the depths of winter to approximately 2000 during Motorcycle Week in June, which features the Freedom Ride. Vigil goers have weathered rain, sleet, snow, hail, thunder, lightning, and even temperatures of -37 degrees Fahrenheit. The Meredith Vigil continues. It stands as a pillar of truth, honor, credibility, integrity, and loyalty in the northeast. Those who stand the Vigil believe the words closure and healing should never replace the words responsibility and loyalty.

Abandoned in Place - The Men We Left Behind and the Untold Story of Operation Pocket Change the Joint Special Operations Command Planned Rescue of American POWs Held in Laos Six Years After the End of the Vietnam War by Lynn O'Shea. Available atAmazon.com

American Trophies: How US POWs Were Surrendered to North Korea, China and Russia by Washington's "Cynical Attitude," by Mark Sauter and John Zimmerlee. This book provides an in-depth look at evidence, which upon objective review points to only one conclusion. North Korean held back POWs captured during the Korean War. In some cases, the North Koreans transferred these POWs both China and the former Soviet Union. Available at Amazon.com

America's Abandoned Sons the Untold Story of Thousands of U.S. Soldiers Secretly Murdered in the USSR - By Robert S. Miller. "Tens of thousands of America's WWII, Korean Conflict, and Vietnam War military servicemen ended up as hostages secretly hijacked into the USSR. Today this regrettable saga is still one of America's most closely guarded secrets." Available at Amazon.com

Already purchased these books, then check out our the Books and DVD section of our website for an oldie but goodie.

"As an American asked to serve, I was prepared to fight, to be wounded, to be captured and even prepared to die, but I was not prepared to be abandoned.” – Former POW Eugene "Red" McDaniel

NH Freedom Ride ~ Save the Date!

22nd Annual POW/MIA Freedom Ride….

”THE RIDE TO THE ROCK”

JUNE 18, 2015 ~ THURSDAY @ 7:00 PM

HESKY PARK MEREDITH

27th Anniversary of the Vigil

22nd Anniversary of the Freedom Ride

For the past 22 years bikers attending Laconia Motorcycle Week have joined forces on Thursday afternoon and made history in the Northeast. Over the past several years, over 20 thousand motorcyclists have ridden their motorcycles in the Northeast POW/MIA Network® Freedom Ride. This year join us for the ride from all points in Country to “The Rock” Hesky Park, Meredith. The ROCK in Hesky Park in Meredith is now ‘The States Original POW/MIA Memorial’.

The Freedom Ride is slated to begin at 6PM on Thursday, June 18, 2015, with line up beginning at 5PM at the Route 11 ~ 1407 Lakeshore Road, Gilford, NH 03249 (Lowe’s parking). This year looks to break all years in participation as organizers have joined forces with Blue and Gold Star Mothers of N.H., all veterans and veteran organizations, together with all bikers and biker organizations.

It is the hope of all those people who are actively involved in the POW/MIA Northeast Network that this year’s Freedom Ride will exceed all others in attendance.

For those who have yet to participate in the Freedom Ride, the real focus of the ride is to bring into light an issue that affects hundreds of Americans and their families, those men and women missing in action or held prisoner during times of war and/or conflict.

The Freedom Ride brings riders to The State’s Original POW/MIA Memorial, “The Rock”, at Hesky Park in Meredith where members of the Northeast POW/MIA Network conduct a vigil to honor those forgotten by our government.

The Northeast POW/MIA Network vigil in Meredith gained nationwide attention some 27 years ago when a small group of veterans began holding weekly Thursday night vigils to bring to light the nation’s lack of effort to account for all service men and women missing from Vietnam. Through times of basking heat, ridged rain storms and mid-winter snows, this small group of people held vigils to gain people’s attention to the fact that members of our armed forces were unaccounted for and forgotten.

If you are unable to participate in the Freedom Ride, please make time to be at Hesky Park for the vigil that begins at 7PM.

Let’s make this year’s Freedom Ride & Vigil the largest by taking a few hours of your time during the Rally and participating. Let your voice be heard.

" Goal of the Network is and has always been support of the American POW (Man or Woman) and His/Her Family. A known captured American Soldier is a POW. Not a Hostage or Detainee. The POW/MIA issue is one of Faith, Trust, Truth, Responsibility and Accountability. Those who serve in uniform and become captive can be assured that there are those who stand and will continue to stand by their side and do everything in their power to bring awareness to their plight 'without question' and upon their return to the Country and people they serve." Let Us Not Forget is the code we live by !